I’m posting some miscellaneous photos from my Korea trip here so they don’t get in the way of food and drink posts. There will also be some food related photos such as food stalls and market.
From Brussels to Istanbul all the Turks had Köfte. I opted for vegetarian meals at the time of booking. The menu below is served on flight to Seoul (from Istanbul). The partner says the chicken has curry. There’s no mention of curry in the descriptions. I wouldn’t be able to eat it anyway.
Saw hundreds upon hundreds of these men who were clad in nothing but cotton towels at Istanbul airport. I thought they had gone to the sauna. I looked it up later and learnt they are muslim pilgrims on the way or on their way back from a pilgrimage. The garment they wear is called “Ihram clothing”.
I like classical and modern designs. This is where you get tickets for the train to town. If you are as observant as I am you will quickly notice there’s always someone watching you closely. CCTV but not the intensity of what you see Hong Kong or the UK. But there are people of authority who walk around and observe you silently.
A clever packaging design. You break the plastic jam package in the middle by holding the edges. Then squeeze out the content without getting your hands or cutlery dirty.
My lodging is in this neighbourhood literally full of restaurants and eateries, one after another endlessly on every street and alley. At dinner time it’s all full of people inside.
Train to Busan. I got here yesterday. Busan is in southern Korea. Fuknuoka Japan, is a boat ride away. After much research I decided Busan is my kind of place and not Seoul. I’m staying in town a for a little while just to eat and drink craft beer.
First thing at the station is locating where my carriage stops.
You also get some snacks and water included in the ticket price. An employee brings them to you. He/she also bows as he/she enters or leaves the carriage. Same in Japan but without the snacks.
Jagalchi fish market is aMAzing! My guide book says it’s the most atmostpheric (and smelly) market in the country. They have nearly all creatures from the sea. There’s a main building and a couple of smaller ones. Even more fish stalls and fish restaurants are all over on side streets outside of the main building.
Bodies of ray. Interestingly I don’t see the wings. It’s the other way around at the market at home, never see the bodies.
It’ my understanding that our friend @joonjoon is also traveling in Korea at this time. (My condolences my friend). I’ll tag him in case he checks in and maybe knows something about the area’s you are posting.
A mother and daughter were eating this nice looking meal by the roadside where they had their fish stall. I stopped to see what they were eating and gestured if I could make a photo. Korean shop keepers don’t mind you making photos, just don’t get into their way. Busanese are a nice bunch. We shall see next week if it’s true Seoulites are as coarse and nasty as everyone says.
Grill grates. The dishwasher has to wash everything manually before the restaurant is open again at lunch time. There are a few things that need to be washed by hand but most can go in the dishwasher. It doesn’t work like that here. Although I haven’t gotten sick from questionable hygiene at some places I still prefer machine wash everything. Efficient water usage and optimal hygiene because I’m a clean freak and perfectionist.
Fresh kakis are being sold everywhere although it’s not in season anymore and they are extremely ripe and don’t look good. The dried version looks a bit better. I got some (but not from this street cart).
Got on the train 45mins in advance to make photos and because it’s warmer inside the train. This is a second class carriage shortly before it was completely full. There was not enough seats so some people were standing in the path. Lots of young military recruits without tickets (I think they get to ride for free so they can’t really sit unless the seats are unoccupied).
And I also brought mine. Got this box of dried persimmon slices in Busan for 4,50 euros, just saw the same thing on the street here for twice as much. The steamed bun has sweet red bean paste. Haribo I brought from home.
Tomorrow is my last day. Can’t wait to go home. The noises, the sheer amounts of people, the constant bombardments of seizure-inducing lights and flashing screens everywhere. It’s a massive sensory overload. I don’t last long in big cities.
It was tense at the border today. My tour to Joint Security Area was cancelled due to some high-level talk with NK this morning. I’m glad it was only about the coming Olympics. Am still gutted but I got to visit the DMZ and that’s still better than nothing. Heavy military presence and press vehicles lined the road leading to the check point.
Whoa, all this is extremely touristy. Seems all the tourists want to do these tours. FYI, certain nationalities are not allowed to go on these tours at all.
My camera has no zoom but you can see where I mark the flag poles of SK (white) and NK (red). Not seen in the photo but the JSA is just to the right of the SK flag pole, where a NK soldier defected to the south only last month or so. That’s the tour to where I was going was cancelled today.
Besides the 3rd infiltration tunnel I also went to the “northern most” train station. No real records of the tunnel visit because you have to leave everything in a locker outside. It was a good work-out, though. My neck and back still hurt and I’m not big or tall. My partner, who is nearly 2m/6"4’ tall had it worse.
Mexico! 
